Yosef/0

Yosef – Overview

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Overview

The Yosef narratives extend from Bereshit 37 through the end of the book, providing the reader with significantly more details about Yosef's life, personality, and interactions than any of the other tribes.  His life progresses on a roller coaster of ups and downs, as his position as favored child morphs into that of degraded slave, then back to head of household, only to revert once more to forgotten prisoner.  He finally emerges as second in command to Paroh, paving the way for the family's descent to Egypt.

Throughout, Yosef is a composite of opposites.  He is both  loved and hated, admired and disdained.  He is a dreamer, but capable of facing harsh reality. He is an outsider who makes it in. He is a man who can control Egypt, but cannot hold in his tears. The various aspects of Yosef's character have invited multiple interpretations throughout centuries of exegesis, often resulting in contrasting portraits of the fascinating figure.

Family Life

Relationship to Siblings

Bereshit 37 discusses both the brother's sale of Yosef, and the jealousy and hatred which led to it. The chapter declares "וַיִּשְׂנְאוּ אֹתוֹ", implying that all the brothers hated Yosef equally.  However, not all commentators agree, as several verses might suggest otherwise:

• "וְהוּא נַעַר אֶת בְּנֵי בִלְהָה וְאֶת בְּנֵי זִלְפָּה" – Commentators debate the meaning of this phrase and what it connotes about Yosef's relationship with the sons of the maidservants.
  

• Positive relationship
• Spent recreation time with them – RashiBereshit 37:2About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, RashbamBereshit 37:2-3About R. Shemuel b. Meir, R. Avraham b. HaRambamBereshit 37:2-3About R. Avraham Maimonides
• Served together with them: ShadalBereshit 37:2-3About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto
• Negative relationship
• The sons of the maidservants served Yosef – R. Yosef Bekhor ShorBereshit 37:2-3About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, RambanBereshit 37:2-3About R. Moshe b. Nachman
• Yosef served the sons of the maidservants – Ibn Ezra
  Bereshit First Commentary 37About R. Avraham ibn Ezra


• "וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף אֶת דִּבָּתָם רָעָה אֶל אֲבִיהֶם" – Commentators dispute whether Yosef slandered all of the brothers, or only some of them. This, too, might bear on his individual relationships with each sibling:¹
• Slandered All – RadakBereshit 37:2-3About R. David Kimchi,
• Slandered the sons of Leah – R. Yehuda in Bereshit Rabbah 84:784:7About Bereshit Rabbah, RashiBereshit 37:2Bereshit 37:3About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, RashbamBereshit 37:2-3About R. Shemuel b. Meir, ShadalBereshit 37:2-3About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto
• Slandered the sons of the maidservants – R. Yosef KaraBereshit 37:2About R. Yosef Kara,² R. Yosef Bekhor ShorBereshit 37:2-3About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, RambanBereshit 37:2-3About R. Moshe b. Nachman, NetzivBereshit 37:2-3About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin

• "וַיַּחֲלֹם יוֹסֵף חֲלוֹם וַיַּגֵּד לְאֶחָיו" – Were all the brother equally upset by Yosef's sharing of his dreams of grandeur?
• Yes, all the brothers were bothered –
• Only the sons of Leah, who had what to lose, were upset – R. Yosef KaraBereshit 37:2About R. Yosef Kara


• The Sale of Yosef– Did all the brothers participate in the sale? For analysis and the motivations for each reading, see Who Sold Yosef?
• All of the brothers (except Reuven) – Most commentators
• None of the brothers – Rashbam
• Half of the brothers – R. Yosef Bekhor Shor

Religious Identity

¹ Regarding the nature and evaluation of his slandering, see below.

² He nonetheless maintains that all hated Yosef somewhat equally.  Even though the sons of Leah were not slandered, it was they who were most bothered by Yosef's dreams.